Hi. I have a boar called Gerald who is about 6 months old, I've had him for 3 months and he's my baby, I have had him sitting with me every night for a couple of hours while watching TV, 7 weeks ago I got him neutered so we can get him a girlfriend. while we were on holiday for a week I put him into guinea pig boarding with a local rescue and asked them to bond him with a little girl. When we picked them both up the lady said Gerald was pop corning everywhere and wouldn't leave her alone so she was happy to give her to us, we named her Geraldine. once we got them both home Gerald doesn't seem to have taken to her, at first he kept nipping her and every time she comes near him he rumbles and walks off. I have washed the cage put new hay/shavings in but he is still doing it. if I get them out and put them on the blanket together they settle down and lie next to each other fine but as soon as they go in the cage it all starts over again. I spoke to the lady at the rescue and she advised to take out the tubes and the house for 24 hours which I did then when I put them back in he got all territorial again. we really don't want to get rid of Geraldine but I don't want to upset Gerald if he doesn't like her. Will he eventually settle down or is this relationship a no go, please help.
Dominent Piggy?
- Thread starter Lou&lotte
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Freela
Senior Guinea Pig
I have never had a boar-sow pair, but to me this sounds like normal dominance behavior and sorting out boundaries. Even bonded pairs will rumble, have spats about choice hiding spots, and so on. My two girls have been roommates for over six months and still have occasional dominance displays and fights over the best sleeping areas, and I always have two food dishes as one of them is a bit of a food hoarder! Even with bonded pairs, they will not always want to sleep side by side in the same place, etc. Just like people, pigs may need some space. But to me this doesn't sound like an unhappy pairing that is not working out, it just seems like normal pig behavior.
span
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi, I have previously gone through this, but it was the other way around, my boar was desperate to be friends and my sow wasn't so delighted to have a big stinky boy trying to cosy up with her all the time! She is a nipper as well, but it's not aggressive, it's more of a 'back off for a second!'.
I have had two boars fall out with a proper fight, so if you've seen the difference it's easier to tell what's dominance and what is a complete fall out, but if you haven't then it's trickier.
It sounds all ok to me, just keep an eye on them and if they have a fight or if the boy seems to be bullying the girl and she seems unhappy, then you might need to separate them, but I doubt it will get that far. I think it took about four days for my sow to settle down and stop being so annoyed(!) and now they are a very happy couple, even if every now and again she'll give him a nip when she wants a nap by herself for once!
I have had two boars fall out with a proper fight, so if you've seen the difference it's easier to tell what's dominance and what is a complete fall out, but if you haven't then it's trickier.
It sounds all ok to me, just keep an eye on them and if they have a fight or if the boy seems to be bullying the girl and she seems unhappy, then you might need to separate them, but I doubt it will get that far. I think it took about four days for my sow to settle down and stop being so annoyed(!) and now they are a very happy couple, even if every now and again she'll give him a nip when she wants a nap by herself for once!
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